I have a private practice
where I provide home visits for breastfeeding problems, phone support and a weekly support group.
In addition I volunteer my help with the La Leche League Twins' Group, and the La Leche League Inwood Group.

What happens at
a home visit?

Helping baby to attach and positioning
the mother and the baby comfortably comes first: I work with the mother
to discover what's best for her individual situation. Sometimes the
use of feeding devices, breast pumps or other aids can help the mother
reach her breastfeeding goals; I help the mother decide what she can use. Finally, we come up with a plan for the next few
days, and I follow up, by phone, email or at the weekly support group.

Breastfeeding Classes:

I teach a monthly breastfeeding class for pregnant couples at Yummy Mummy, the breastfeeding store on the Upper East Side. Contact them directly to register, at 212 879 8669, or on their website.

I teach expectant couples in their homes as well.

Attending a La Leche League meeting is an excellent way to prepare for breastfeeding. You can meet mothers who already have their babies, and there's nothing like the real thing! Some meetings invite fathers to participate as well. Go to llli.org for schedules.

Support Group in Brooklyn:

I facilitate the breastfeeding circle At Bend and Bloom, 708 Sackett St. between 4th and 5th Av., 347-987-3162. We meet every Thursday at 1 pm. Fee is $20, and you may drop in. We have topics for the group, but this is a discussion, not a lecture. Meeting other mothers can help so much!

New Support Group in Harlem:

Beverly Solow, IBCLC and I are starting a brand new support group at the brand new offices of Dr. Jo-An Luna Choe. We will start at 9:30 am. The address is 163 St. Nicholas Avenue, entrance on W. 118 St. We are both experienced Lactation Consultants with many years leading support groups, and we're excited to help Dr. Choe provide assistance for breastfeeding families. Contact Dr. Choe for the current schedule.

Metropolitan Museum
of Art Tour:

The
Met contains many wonderful paintings, sculpture and decorative objects.
Most people have probably never noticed how many have nursing mothers
and babies as a theme; after I had my first baby I spent time there
and these images became very important to me. I researched the topic
and presented a slide show for the New York Lactation Consultants, and
I continue to give gallery tours. For further information, or to arrange
for a tour, contact me.

General Hints for Breastfeeding

Problems

 1. If you're in pain, start by adjusting your body
position so that baby's head is very close to you. Bed pillows sometimes
work better than breastfeeding pillows. Use your leg to bring the baby's
head close; use a footstool (nursing stool or phone book or big, fat
dictionary) to give even more support. Support the baby also: turn baby's
hips toward you, tucking the legs between your elbow and your body before
you think of the head.

 2. Baby's head should be tilted slightly back. They
can do it! In order to drink we need to have our heads tilted a little
bit back, not scrunched forward. Have the pillow touch baby's head and
only put your hand on baby's back and shoulders.

 3. If baby's not at the breast, make sure your breasts
are drained and stimulated by using hand expression or a good quality
breast pump. Babies feed a mimimum of 8 times in 24 hours, so if the pump is substituting for the baby, pumping needs to happen 8 times a day.

 4. Babies feed a minimum of 8 times in 24 hours so
be prepared to feed frequently, especially in the early days and weeks.

 5. The golden rule of milk supply is that the more
you nurse (or express if necessary) the more you make. One of my favorite
phrases: "the emptier you are the fuller you'll be."

How does payment work?

I accept payment at the visit.
I give a receipt which can be submitted to your insurance company for
reimbursement, if your company covers lactation consultant services. I offer a sliding scale if
finances totally prohibit a visit. Phone calls are routine for follow
up, and I do not charge for them (if I feel I need to see you, I'll
tell you). I also answer email from mothers I have visited.

Some Favorite Quotes

"Breastfeeding
is a natural "safety net" against the worst effects of poverty.
If a child survives the first month of life (the most dangerous period
of childhood), exclusive breastfeeding goes a long way toward canceling
out the health difference between being born into poverty and being
born into affluence... it is almost as if breastfeeding takes the infant
out of poverty for those first few months in order to give the child
a fairer start in life and compensate for the injustice of the world
into which it was born."

James P. Grant, Executive Director,
UNICEF

"Breastfeeding
is the first cooperative and collaborative work we do as humans, and this work could not be carried on without cooperation and
collaboration." Audrey Naylor, founder of Wellstart